Ion

AutoWeek magazine reports that Pontiac will take a page from Saturn with its next generation GTO, and offer the sports car with four doors. The rear doors will reportedly work exactly as they do on today's Ion quad coupe: they will be hinged in the rear with no "visible handles." The new GTO is expected to go into production in 2008.

The Plain Dealer reported this weekend that General Motors plans to move production of the Saturn Ion from Spring Hill, Tennessee to Lordstown, Ohio. The plan, which has been rumored for months, has not been officially announced or confirmed by GM. The Lordstown Assembly Plant currently builds the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac Pursuit (which is only sold in Canada) compact cars.

Continuous improvement has always been a hallmark of Saturn, and for the 2006 model year things are no different. Automotive News reported earlier this year that Saturn informed retailers at the North American Dealer Association's (NADA) annual convention that both the Ion and Vue will be "refreshed" for 2006 to help make them more competitive and appealing.

Music lovers will find it easier to take their favorite tunes on the road thanks to a new family of radios that will be offered in the Saturn Ion, Vue, and other GM vehicles starting later this year. The new radios include an auxiliary channel and front mounted auxiliary input jack, so that an iPod or other audio source can be easily plugged in and played through the vehicle audio system.

You can see it. You can feel it. It's evident in Cadillac's renaissance. And it's obvious in Chevrolet's current multi-product roll-out, one of the most ambitious launches in its history. Now, its about Saturn.

Its no secret that Saturn's two-year-old Ion will get a rather significant overhaul later this summer with the introduction of the 2005 models. While the sedan will get a restyled front facia complete with a new grill (the coupe's styling will remain the same), its from the inside of both the Ion sedan and quad coupe where you'll likely notice the most change.

If recent rumors prove to be true, Saturn will be significantly reducing the number of VTi CVT transmissions it plans to sell in 2005 by eliminating the availability of the transmission in its Ion lineup and by offering the transmission in one model of the Vue.

With the 2005 model year just around the corner, SaturnFans.com has assembled a list of the rumored changes to each of Saturn's existing models. Look for a more complete - and official - list to be posted online as soon as it becomes available.

Jill Lajdziak, vice president of Saturn sales and marketing, talked to retailers on Sunday at the 2004 NADA conference. She spoke about the future of the brand, the importance of maintaining Saturn's high level of customer satisfaction, and increasing brand awareness through advertising. The list below highlights some of her discussion points.

SaturnFans.com has learned that at a press conference earlier this week, Gary Cowger, GM President of North America, hinted that GM plans to "change" the Ion later this year. While Cowger did not elaborate as to what changes are coming for the 2005 model year, interior and exterior updates are likely in store.

Random Article from the SaturnFans.com Archives

It's pending arrival has been rumored for several weeks, but now it is official: Saturn recently announced the availability of a new 2.4L version of it's uplevel Vue XR sport-utility on the brand's ImSaturn social networking website. Spokesman Mike Morrissey revealed some of the features that will be offered in the vehicle. "At Saturn, we don't think you should not have to give up cool vehicle features just to save money at the gas pump," he wrote. "That's why we are introducing a new version of the well-equipped Vue XR with an efficient four-cylinder engine."